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. 0 a watghmajf , â€ž,, scription per year two dollars payable in iid in advance two dollars ! il xi for the first and^d cts nsertion gourtot .â– 25 per cent higher thau these rates a lib to those who a iv .-;-â€¢â– by the year â– p iid . â€” i grand ballon the u states frigate xmississippi at naples the philadelphia inquirer of the 26th inst has the following extract from a pri vate letter from naples under date of feb 22 relative to a grand fancy ball given on board the u s frigate mississ ippi ( new series do this axd liberty is safe . gen l harrison ( volume vii number 49 speech oe 1r batner of hertford j j bruner ) v " kf.ep a check cpo all tour editor 4 proprietor ) rulees salisbury n c thursday april 10 1851 n ihe proposition it change the constitu tion ' 'â– lt gislativt e naclment so as to ex tend to rott rs for members of the house , ,â– t mums tin right to vote for mem of the senate in the housi of mons dec 19th and 20th 1850 com ;.' i'i:;i ) se remarks about distrust of tlie .. conditions on them ' lc &_., i had hoped noi to have heard jjjjs grave an important occasion it might 1 tolerated on the hustings and ven then it would be unfair â€” but here it ;, neither dignified nor in accordance with jje action of our government constitu tjonsaremade by the people if not di rectly yei by those selected with especial reference to the views of those they rep resent the very idea of a constitution involve s which the pi ople have oj themselves constitutions are based on the erring and frail nature of men and are designed to counteract the temporary and fluctuating impulses of the public . 1 thp limit at inns thev e.iiit.im hn red in the opinion thai by ihe decision of liie people al the ballot-box until tlie members had taken the oath prescribed they could not lie organized as a legal convention the body with great una nimity adopted ibis view of the question j and : he members were qualified accord ingly i j ut suppose they had not iakeu the oath and had proceeded to amend the constitution then their acts would have had no validity because it would not have been such a convention as the people had called so far then as prece i dent goes we huve bur one precedent in our history ; and ihat precedent thorough ly sustains my position that the legisla ture in taking lhe initiatory steps towards legalizing the assemblage of a conven tion may consult ihe people in regard to a convention either limited or unlimited and il the people decide to impose limi tations their decision must be binding up on those whom tbey elect the question i â€¢ . ii i â€¢ lorn in a few sentences of ike iieal chailer | the history nf which adorns mie of the bright i esl page 8 of history dues the gentleman think j the english people were guilty of folly in driv ing a bigot irom his throne and convulsing lbe j nation in civil war merely to establish tbe bill j of rights ? the writ of ilaheets corpus so dear ' to every american as well as british freeman consists of but a few iines ; and yet it is im i porlant to our rights and liberty then all the acts which ihis legislature is likely to crowd in thousand p'lges look at the declaration uf independence â€” the manifesto of freedom to the civilized world â€” dees its value iis impor lance ii g'ory , consist in iis length ? not at all but in ihe immortal principles of liberty therein condensed in so short a compass if the gentleman's argument were worth anything â€¢ 7 i j i would use il as testimony against himsell i i would ask him if he was willing to consume i i wo weeks of the lime of this assembly at its i i present session â€” then ngilate this question be i lore the people to be passed upon by them in i ihe election of members to the next general i assembly â€” and then again consume two more cy mv duly to lhat section from whence i come and lbe in'eresl which i feel in the peace and harmony and general welfare of ihe state com pel rue to do so i fear before i take my feat some of my conclusions will be as unpalatable to many ot my western friends as my premi ses spemed agreeable i am asked by gentle men from the west why 1 do not ex'rnd the the provisions of my bill and consult the peo pie in regard to the rearrangement ofthe basis i will answer lirst because this latter ques tion has not been agitated except locally â€” we have no reason to ? n [>,.â– "- e that there is any thing like a general desire fur any such change as this throughout the state â€” in fact there are reasons which make me doubt whether this de sire is general even in the extreme west â€” there are several gentlemen here from lhat section who so far irom urging seem disposed to discountenance such a move what did we hear from lhe gentleman from burke mr..-\ve ry he informed us that whilst be advocated free suffrage you throughout his county on the slump he look ground against any change in the basis of representation and yet thai gen j sidered the ignorance of the people that it was j a mere trick to pop up a feeble cause ami sliil ; feebler candidal by dragging down otflhenrr i able constitution into the mire and filth of par ly the people were told lhal tree stittrage ! alone could extend no substantial power to lhe | people but if that is pressed earnestly it would i only prove an entering wedge to still greater j inroads on the constitution they were told .' lhat in a short time ihis basis of representation j would be assailed : and sectional sirile and dis cord again distract our councils our warn ; ings were mei wilh clamor crimination and ; insult what was prophecy then has become . history now yes sir lhe t rut li must be told ' it is the democratic parly of tbe eastern coun 1 ties who have brought this mischief upon us i by sustaining these popularity mongering ap peals to popular credulity they have sown i of the wind and are about to reap the whirl j wind thev now see lhe approaches of ihe i storm when it is too late they have heed ; lessly unlocked the doors ofthe cave of boreas atid are now seeking for shelter before the drivings ol the blast i do noi say ihis by way " we have had a continued round of gaities during the carnival season the city has been thronged with strangers a large portion of whom are americans the great fete of the winter season how ever was given on board the united states 1 steam frigate mississippi by the gallant captain ami ollicers of that vessel on wednesday last invitations were exten ded to the nubility and diplomatic corps as well as to the english french and russian naval officers in port and to all i american travellers at p m..the i boats of the squadron began to carry â– â– the company off to the ship tbe ball be i gan at s and was kept v.\t until the morn ing hours the company amounted to j nearly four hundred persons of the elite ; of the resident and stranger society of na ; pies the scene on shipboard was magnifi ; cent the spar deck and upper deck as i well as the poop were all appropriated to ' dancing and were completely covered in on tlie top and sides by a canopy compos ed of sails with an exposed lining of the . flags of all nations fanciful chandeliers composed ol arms and laurel wreaths shed a brilliant light on the company i while a bund ot the best performers dis i limitations imposed by the people them selves for under our republican system thev are submitted to the people for rati fore they go into operation tys tbe gentleman from burke , mr avery suppose the convention w\jen assembled disregard the limitation iid go on to make oiher alterations in .. constitution for says the gentleman â– men in the state contend that the tation will not be binding well sup ;; dors why it would he no con ivention at all except for the express pur pose lor which it was call d according lo lhe provisions of my bill ihe peoplein calling the convention would prescribe i an oath to be taken by the members that thev would not touch the constitution in any oiher particular until ihey took tin oath tbey would not be a convenlion ; if they proceeded to business \\ ithoul taking it their acts would bave no more binding operation than those of a public meeting of the citizens of raleigh li they tool the oath und then disregarded it they would be guilty of perjury : and in eith j crease no one would pay any sor of at j i tention to their doings and the machinery 1 of the si aie govt 1 :: ue nt would still move i on under the present stale of things â€” 1 such i doubt noi would be the decision ol is not wneiner it appears ansuru aim m consistent for the people to impose limi tations on their own power but tlie ques tion is can they lawfully do it if they could do it in 1835 under a constitution which had no provision for the calling a convention through the initiatory action of the legislature of course they can do so now under a constitution which ex pressly provides for the calling a conven tion by the general assembly if there be any truth in the logical truism that the major proposition includes the minor â€” two thirds ol the legislature having the power to call an unlimited convention wilhout the sanction ol the people ofi course two thirds can cail an limited con i vention with the sanction ofthe people but i am willing to take issue with i those who contend that it is absurd and anti-republican for the people to impose restrictions on their own action the very idea of a constitution presupposes restrictions upon those who are the depo ; sitories ot power â€” whether it be one man or a million know thyself was a cardinal maxim of an ancient philosopher of greece this knowledge of human frailty is as necessary to tbe statesman in providing for lhe welfare of a nation as lo the individual in regulating his pri vate life the more wisdom and virtue weeks ol lhe succeeding session â€” at such an expenditure of money and to the neglect ofthe iablic business â€” " merely lo strike three lines out of the coiisiitulion and insert five others !" if it is so small a matter why does the genlle man so pertinaciously insist on it ? if he thinks ii of so little consequence why does he not a bandon it when he sees his method of making lhe change so earnestly opposed ? anolher objection to adjusting this question by a convenlion in case lhe peopie desire it is the expense that will be incurred by it â€” now let us examine into this objection if the people decide i_.i favor of a convenlion at the polls i presume that a convention when as sembled would proceed at once to make lhe change for as this one question would be alone presented there could be no mistake in regard to the wishes of a majority ofthe people to effect this one amendment only and lhat too where discussion would be out ofthe question would noi require more than three or four days or a week at farthest my bill proposes lo pay the members of the convention only 1.50 per day and only one half the mileage allowed to members ol general assembly let any gen tleman make the caclculation and he will find ihat making this change by a convenlion if a change must be had will in the end be much less expensive than if done by legislative en acunenent 1 presume no one will deny that this session will have been prolonged at least ten days by the agitation of ihis subject and kindred questions necessarily growing out of it lleinan was elected and lhat too by a constit uency opposed to him in publics with this evidence belore me can i believe lhat in the west even this desire for a change iu the ba sis is so general as to leave it at all doubtful j whether ihere is a majority ofthe people of lhe j slate in favor of the change and let it be i recollected that i have contended throughout ; lhat as a legislature we should follow rather than attempt lo lead the public mind iu regaid i to amending the constitution i but i do not rest my objections here i am i opposed to submitting this question ol lhe basis j to the decision of the ballot box iu the second place because ihe arrangement of the basis of representation in our constitution does not rest on lhe same grounds and is not to be sus tained by the same arguments as those oilier general provisions of that instrument for lhe se curity of popular rights and republican princi ples let ii not be forgotten lhat my argu ment in favor ofdefering to anrl abiding by the wish ofthe majority had reference to the mod ification of those general questions involving populur liberty which are not local but so ex tensive wiih the limits of the slate affecting all sections classes and interests alike the basis of representation does not come within this ; category it is purely a question of compro mise of agreement of contract it may be said that all lbe oilier provisions ofthe consti tulion are matters of compromise and agree ment true bul then according to the theory of social compact the parlies lo such compro ot recrimination i do not wish to exette any partisan feeling on this subject i dare say the great majority of the democratic party of lhe east acted from honest and conscientious convictions i am only stating facts i now wish to appeal to the support ol my bill and el evate this question of constitution reform a bove the sinks and sewers of party although i am not responsible for the dangers and diffi culties which now threaten us yet in the ad justment of this question i will know no such thing as party ; but will unite with any and all who are disposed to settle il in the most sum mary convenient and economical method and in a manner mosi in accordance with our free republican system our consultations here will be productive of but little good so long as sectional discord and local jealousy shall bias our feelings and wrap our judgments lei lhe house decide as il may i shail feel lhal i have done my duty â€” and for consequences i shail not be responsible the world owes every man a living is a profound lie cunningly masked in the guise of truth : and if acted upon in the manner that reckless and desperate men define it would break through all those checks and guides by which the grains of honest industry are now protec ted and lay society open to incessant at tacks from all those who are too idle to coursed most bewitching music below decks a coffee room was arranged and the captain's cabin was surrendered to the indies for the mysteries of tbe toilette â€” at midnight supper was announced in the enclosed space forward the engine cap tain long entered the saloon first leading mrs morris the lady ofthe l 8 charge d'alt'aires the sumptuousness of this part of the entertainment the profusion of luxuries including wines of lhe most cost i ly kind excited tbe liveliest admiration | the dancing was renewed after supper and revived with rather increased fervor ! at 2 a m when i left the ship the ball , was in full life we pulled ashore in a | few minutes over a sea as smoothe as a ' lake under a bright moon and an atmos i pbere as solt as that of an american june the beauty ofthe american ladies was one of the most striking features of tbe ball â€” their delicacy of manner femi i nine grace and sweetness of expression contrasted favorably wilh european ladies this ball so perfectly successful in every respect has created a marked sensation in naples it reflects the highest honor up on the liberal hospitality of the captain and ollicers of the mississippi and will leave behind a most agreeable impression of american character the mississippi was much admired for the beautv of her i tie supreme court on tbe hrsl question , i woui 1 ai ise ch a case as s d : and such would no doubt be , â– ., opinion ol a grandjury before \\ bom nember of such a convention might , i bi presented for perjury 1 und rsl and : j very well why this intimation has been thrown out noi only here bul in a portion ol the public press of the stale â€” that a j limited convention if called will when ' assembled disregard the restrictions im ii it is to li ighten the friends of tree l suffrage in lhe easl to vt te again a lim . ited convent ii ai under t he idea that when â– the convention assembles it will disre \ i gard the limit and proceed to rearrange j the basis of representation such an ap : 1 peal to eastern members is a poor com ' pliment to their intelligence the same1 power and authority that woi call the ; j convention would impose the limitation â€” | ami it is absurd to say that if a majority ; ofthe people ol the state vote lor a con i ' v->t.tum limited to a specific purpose that n the calling the convention their act ',"] would he pro lanta valid but in affixing i tlie limitation il would be inoperative 1 lhat exist among a people the more are iheir institutions founded upon the dis j trust that their framers have of lhe wild impulses and unchecked excitements of lhe human mind popular governments are sometimes as tyrannical as tiiose swayed by a single despot in order to secure liberty the oppression ol the ma jorities must be provided against look at all our constitutions both state and federal â€” what are ihey but barriers a gainst the encreachments of majorities or those representing majorities the wise men who framed ihem knew well the infirmity of human nature â€” that even with the best intentions the people might be induced either through bad counsels or excited feelings to sacrifice their own dearesl rights and liberties â€” and thanks to our fathers in the purer aud earlier days ol the republic they resolved to save their posterity if possible from the folly ol injuring themselves and where is the man even in this carnival day of dema gogues thai has any respect for the opin ions of virtuous and good men that will ! sav these restrictions thus imposed upon â€” to say nothing ot ten days consumed ny n at ihe last session even if lhe measure is car ried by the requisite majority of three-fifths at the present session il must still go through lbe same ordeal ol protracted debate aud strenu ous opposition at the next session if it should fail ihen when il will require two thirds of both mouses the whole question must then be com menced de novo and it may be for years and years lo come lhat the general assembly will consume a week or ten days in the discussion ol this subject but suppose it is disposed ol at the next session â€” let any one make the es titnate and he will find that this method of legis lative amendment will in the end be much most expensive but behold the inconsistency of ihe advocates of this method of amending the coiisiitulion they first tell of the great im portance and inestimable value of the princi ples involved â€” and of what grievous wrong the people are laboring under ll ihis be so ought the expenditure of a lew thousands lo be al lowed lo postpone the enjoyment by the people of ihis important right yet these dear lov ers of lhe people tell us in the next breath that lhe people are so sordid and narrow minded that anxiously as they desire lhe change ihey are not willing to contribute the small amount lhat j must necessarily be expended in effecting it â€” nuse were llie people in their individual char acter's ; and as a majority established them the majority can change them at pleasure the same parlies that make a contract can of course modify lhe terms of th contract but the arrangement of lhe basis lo what may be called lhe social conlracl in this suite in the sense ofthe law writers in their characters as individuals wilhout reterence to sectional con sideralions it is in lhe nature of a compro mise between conflicting sectional interests â€” lt is in the nature of a contract for valuable consideration â€” lhe parties lo it were and still are lhe people of lhe eastern counties on the oiher part ; each parly yielded and each par ty gained certain equivalents in the adjustment of this compromise â€” and according to all set tled principles of law and equily it ought not | to be disturbed except by lhe consent of bolh i parlies i da not pretend to say that any j change of ihis compromise if effected accord ; itig tothe plan and requirements of the consti i tion would not be valid 1 admit that it would j be no mailer by what sectional violence op j posed â€” for the matter in which lhe constitution ! is to be amended is also a matter of cornpro i mise binding on every man in lhe stale my ' object is to show thai the basis ol representa i lion being a compromise between sections ei i . p ' . â– .,- n i â€¢ . .... _ work too proud to beg and too high spir ited â€” false again â€” to graduate their ex penses to the condition ol their circum stances strive honestly and thrive is the true maxim let any man work resolute ly tasking all his energies to attain per fection in the particular business or pro fession to which he may have devoted himself let him be just in bis dealings strictly correct in his personal deportment â€” courteous in his manners â€” and liberal ] within the compass of such means as he | can really call his own and the world will j certainly yield him the living he has faithfully earned one great element of success is however yet to be mentioned he must learn to say no ! it is the mosl difficult word in the english language to pronounce firmly and at the proper time i and place but still whoever would pur sue a successful course in life must learn , above all other things religion excepted when how where and in what manner it â€¢ is best to say no ! whenever he is tempted to exceed bis â€¢ i appropriate sphere of action â€” whenever u : i k ii ;...,._._..,, ,.;.;. ___â€¢ r i.i proportions and the masterly workman ship oi her engines and machinery they were built ten years since by merrick &â– towne ol philadelphia and although in service lor all that time have never suf lered any injury and are now in as good a condition as the day they were placed on board " the american flag has been flying all day from the king's vessels and the amer ican english and russian men oi war while the cannon have been thundering on all sides in honor of the birthday of washington if the fanatics at home could see with what respect and admira tion the american union is regarded abroad they would be able to appreciate the infamy which would descend upon 1 their names irom the success of their un i hallowed schemes commodore morgan crowned the eel " ebration with an elegant dinner in the .. evening ) look out ! â€” on the of january last ] mr c u watkins of stanly county mail ed a letter containing fifty dollars to bis \ say such an argumi nt is too absurd to i need reply for let it be recollected that my bill provides that every one voting k convention shall be understood as ex ii pressing ins opinion in favor ot the limi l tation ii the argument alluded to be it correct that a limited convention may dis \ regard its restrictions when assembled l_en it comes to this that the general as sembly mav in the plenitude of its wis dom a*i id iis love of the people make an amendment of the constitution limited to one object but that the people themselves can not do it in convenlion a pretty doctrine thi truly â€” more especially as comipg from those who mi grievously af fected vt the idea of the people being de prived of tlieir rights i we have but one precedent in the liis 1 toyof our stale in regard to amending institution allude to the conven tion in 1835 although our original con dilution which had never been altered before 1835 contained no provision as to i he maimer in which it was to be amend j ed jr i n gard to the calling a conven tion yet the legislature as ihe law mak ing pow.-r as the only authority that could leg a vote of the people in re popular action are absurd and anti re publican and where is the difference between imposing t hese restrict ions in the first instance and limiting tbe power of abolishing these restrictions here is the great beauty and iu this consists the har monious action of our anglo saxon insti tutions here is the secret of constitu tional government which the celtic and scandinavian races can not understand our institutions are based on the princi ple that the primary source of all power is in the people â€” but still as a great con servative element of liberty the people must protect themselves against them selves by imposing limitations on their own power â€” and furl her that these limi tations can not be altered or modified no matter with what unanimity desired or with what elamor demanded except in the manner pointed out and provided for by the organic law a change effected in any other manner whether bloodless or not is revolution this is something that prance after sixty years trial at re publican government has never yet been able to learn the gentleman from burke mr avery expresses some surprise at and rather attempt 1 do not know however whether there is so mu<n j inconsistency in it after all for this whole j movement irom the beginning seems to be based on a contempt for the understanding of the people the advocates of this system of constitutional amendment treat the people like . a spoiled and pelted child whose babbling has lo be stopped whose fancy has to be amused and whose favor lo be gained by some worth i less toy captivating in iis appearance but val ! ueless in the enjoyment yes sir this free suf frawe as it is called is delusive in its charac j ier it will confer on no class or section of the community any real substantial power ll j is like lhat dead sea iruit of which we read handsome iu outward appearance â€” but turning lo ashes and bitterness on the lips 1 j hope sir thai my position on this question is ! now understood without reference to my own j private individual opinions on lhe merits of free suffrage i ground my action on lhe great and j elementary principles of free institutions 1 j insist lhat in adapting this fundamental law to j iheir peculiar condition and lhe requirements i of lhe age the people are fully competent to lhe protection of their own rights and lhe under j standing of their own wants as a mere le gislature il is our province to follow rather ihan to attempt lo lead public opinion upon a question of this sort in regard to the amend inetii of ihis fundamental law the people who ... â– â€¢ _:. . ij 1 iher seciion may rigniiuiiy ana consistently op pose any alteration wilhout violating any great t principle of popular liberty and il he people of the east are justifiable in opposing any j change in the basis by a majority ef lhe people in mass upon the ground that it was the result i of a contract between two sections lhat were j and still are the parties to it â€” ihey are egually \ justifiable in opposing ali initiatory measures j designed for such an end 1 have not'discuss | ed ihe merits of the compromise involved in ! lhe present arrangement ol lhe basis nor do i < now design doing so thai issue is not now j pending my object is lo explain my reasons j aud lo do justice lo lbe views ol those 1 repre sent in opposing the proposition to submit ihe j question to the people of lhe slate whether ihey wish any change in the basis of repre j sentalion i mr speaker 1 regret that this question of " white basis :' has heen introduced here al ; this time ; and i still more regret to hear some [ of the arguments advanced in iis favor 1 here . are certain considerations growing out of the relations of lhe north and south ihat render lhe present time most unpropitious for such a course ll can not be denied lhat the repre sentalion of our slaves according lo lhe feder al basis in our national constitution is one of our strongest guaraties for the protection and security of our slave property is ihere a mem i : l n i Â»-.__,. 1 1 ll v.,n!.l tip i tie is lempieci oy tne nnpon mimes oi ins family or his own rising ambition to live ' beyond the actual and certain profits of his regular business at the risk ol tailing in his duty to his creditors â€” in short when ever he feels he is about to do a doubtful or a foolish thing let him learn to say Â» no !" â€” arthurs home gazette we presume it would puzzle the inge minify ofthe acutest philadelphia law yer to determine precisely the meaning and intention of several of the acts of the ' last legislature many of them appear to have been penned wilhout any regard lo rules of grammar and if there are any rules of legal construction which can make them intelligible we should be dis posed to attribute more virtue to that sci ence than we believe it to be entitled to but these acts furnish an instructive com mentary upon the proceedings ol our law makers and should have the effect of put ting the people on their guard as to whi they would honor with such confidence for the future at little more attention to important matters in the early pari of the session would have saved the legislatui from many ofthe blunders which it com laughter in the college '-.; this place â€” the letter has nevi r b-en received and but one of the several letters written by the daughter to lur lather since has been received by him their letters both ways are stopped somewhere tlieir appears to be a settled purpose to intercept the correspondence between them aud it is suspected that it is done by some one wbo iris go hu tifly d ill irs i a order to escape detection the money lost consisted of one twenty dollar bill on one ol the south carolina banks but which one not recol lected : aud ihree fen dollar bills on the bank ol fayetteville ihe nos not recol lected but mr watkins initials are writ ten on the back of each bill thus c it w the public should be on the look out to de'ect the guilty person in this trans action before furthpr thefts of the sort are committed â€” gn i ns patriot the senate of tbe slate ol pennsylvania hag passed a bid lo r-pea lhe section of the law of 1 - it wh - mi ihat common weahh io be used foi eeping of ab leged fugitives the vote was 17 ayea to ti noes the " pennsylvani in says : tru to a change iu tlieir constitution submitted to tin qualified voters of the f4'p the proposition whether they would ca'l a convention limited to certain spe wed alterations of the constitution ac c,,r!iug to the provisions of the law the j*Â°ple by the very same act called the and yet restricted its action 10 the consideration of the subjects pro pÂ°n so lhat it was in lact.the people legislature that imposed the citation let gentlemen examine the mis of the convention of 1835 and lkv will lind that on the day ol the as of the convention the question 88 moved as to whether the members bound to take the oath limiting tlr action which had been submitted to of the people by law by the people at the polls â€” i n(l on discussion many of the ablest and 0st prominent men of the body concur ed to iieai wilh ridicule tiie idea ol going through all lhe trouble and expence of calling a convention merely to strike tbiee lines out of ihe constitution and insert rive others re ally i was surprised to hear a genlleman be loneiug to the legal profession use such an ar gument as this dues not lhe gentleman well know ihat in al governments where the ma ie.-iy of lhe law is recognised that absurb as t may seem lo lhe unlearned lhe refinement and lechicalilies of language are ihe conserva tive in-trum nils of freedom does he not know ihat the rights ol property iiberly life \ evlh frequently depend upon the propriety of a single woid . does a law passed by this general assembly derive iis gravity and im portance solely irom its length 1 does the gentleman esiimite ihe merits of a speech by the number ol mere words contained in it ? â€” j according io his argument tbe sturdy old bar ' ons ol runymede were engaged iu a childish business when they dictated lerms to a lyrant j king and laid the foundations cd english bee are the original source ot power should oe j consulted ; and if they desire a change ihey should make the change by iheir own agents specially chosen for lhat purpose and elected free from those disturbing influences lhat are . calculated lo defeat the calm and deliberate purpose of ihe public mind this i contend | j is lhe true conservative republican doctrine | of conslilutiotial freedom i am aware lhat many of my western friends j who are pressing an open and unlimited con , ' vention think i have already committed my j i self so far lhat 1 can never retreat from ihe . evidences i can see and hear around me i am ! aware lhat they ibink my argument estops me from opposing the proposition to consult tha people in regard to an open convention ; and : that ray advocacy of lhe right of the people to amend iheir own constitution in their own way ; applies as well to the alteration cf the basis of representation as to any other provision i ; i am sorry to have to dispel these illusions of my j friends but my regard for my own consisien 1 ber in this uenerai assemmy ttiai wmnu c willing to see lhal provision in the federal constitution stricken out and would our western friends inflict on their eastern breth ren what the south would regard as such a wrong on the part of the north '.' would they j lax our slaves as property and not allow them j lo be represented as persons 1 will ihey lend encouragement to northern fanaticism by using the same weapons in their warfare on our slate constitution which these incendiaries are ' using against the federal constitution ? with what encourage nent or consistency can our ! representatives in the national rouncils con tend for the compromises of the fed ral con stitution il we here al home ignore that am principle of compromise in our organic law Â» but 1 will not dilate upon this subject ; 1 regret that i have even had to allude to it when this question of tree-suffrage was first ! agitated in the east the people were told and : j by myself among others lhat it was all a de j | lusion that ii was an appeal to what was con . mitted errors we know are unavoida ble but so many and such glaring ones ] certainly could be prevented â€” raleigh j star during robbery â€” we learn that on saturday night last a most daring robbery was committed at mr lonergan's groce ry near tbe centre of our village " the money drawer with its contents mo ney accounts memorandums and notes were ail taken oil and as far as we have heard no clue to the perpetrator has been discovered â€” char jour april 2 i â€” a good toast the following toast i was given at a temperance dinner re volutionary army and cold water army j the one drove the red coats from the 1 land and the oiher will lhe red noses i there is nodoubi nf the house concurring i in ihi action of iii senate we hope our iriends in that body wiil give the subject their earliest attention pennsylvania could m>i al low ibis nullifying law lo remain on lhe slut ute books wilh in was a con benting party to lhe infl tion of a fatal wound upon ihe national constilution no emancipation convention in kentucky â€” a telegraph despatch fr m frankfort daied i on fridl v last ?â– _.- ih tl lhe stale bmancipa ', lion convention of'kentucky called by cas*iua â– m clay and others is a dead failure and that it will noi be held the objeci of lhe conven lion was lo nominate emancipation candidates for governor and state officers and to organ ize an anti-slavery parly in the stale of ken tuck j freedom from pa n is of itself pleasure but j to know ibis one mu i have suffered

. 0 a watghmajf , â€ž,, scription per year two dollars payable in iid in advance two dollars ! il xi for the first and^d cts nsertion gourtot .â– 25 per cent higher thau these rates a lib to those who a iv .-;-â€¢â– by the year â– p iid . â€” i grand ballon the u states frigate xmississippi at naples the philadelphia inquirer of the 26th inst has the following extract from a pri vate letter from naples under date of feb 22 relative to a grand fancy ball given on board the u s frigate mississ ippi ( new series do this axd liberty is safe . gen l harrison ( volume vii number 49 speech oe 1r batner of hertford j j bruner ) v " kf.ep a check cpo all tour editor 4 proprietor ) rulees salisbury n c thursday april 10 1851 n ihe proposition it change the constitu tion ' 'â– lt gislativt e naclment so as to ex tend to rott rs for members of the house , ,â– t mums tin right to vote for mem of the senate in the housi of mons dec 19th and 20th 1850 com ;.' i'i:;i ) se remarks about distrust of tlie .. conditions on them ' lc &_., i had hoped noi to have heard jjjjs grave an important occasion it might 1 tolerated on the hustings and ven then it would be unfair â€” but here it ;, neither dignified nor in accordance with jje action of our government constitu tjonsaremade by the people if not di rectly yei by those selected with especial reference to the views of those they rep resent the very idea of a constitution involve s which the pi ople have oj themselves constitutions are based on the erring and frail nature of men and are designed to counteract the temporary and fluctuating impulses of the public . 1 thp limit at inns thev e.iiit.im hn red in the opinion thai by ihe decision of liie people al the ballot-box until tlie members had taken the oath prescribed they could not lie organized as a legal convention the body with great una nimity adopted ibis view of the question j and : he members were qualified accord ingly i j ut suppose they had not iakeu the oath and had proceeded to amend the constitution then their acts would have had no validity because it would not have been such a convention as the people had called so far then as prece i dent goes we huve bur one precedent in our history ; and ihat precedent thorough ly sustains my position that the legisla ture in taking lhe initiatory steps towards legalizing the assemblage of a conven tion may consult ihe people in regard to a convention either limited or unlimited and il the people decide to impose limi tations their decision must be binding up on those whom tbey elect the question i â€¢ . ii i â€¢ lorn in a few sentences of ike iieal chailer | the history nf which adorns mie of the bright i esl page 8 of history dues the gentleman think j the english people were guilty of folly in driv ing a bigot irom his throne and convulsing lbe j nation in civil war merely to establish tbe bill j of rights ? the writ of ilaheets corpus so dear ' to every american as well as british freeman consists of but a few iines ; and yet it is im i porlant to our rights and liberty then all the acts which ihis legislature is likely to crowd in thousand p'lges look at the declaration uf independence â€” the manifesto of freedom to the civilized world â€” dees its value iis impor lance ii g'ory , consist in iis length ? not at all but in ihe immortal principles of liberty therein condensed in so short a compass if the gentleman's argument were worth anything â€¢ 7 i j i would use il as testimony against himsell i i would ask him if he was willing to consume i i wo weeks of the lime of this assembly at its i i present session â€” then ngilate this question be i lore the people to be passed upon by them in i ihe election of members to the next general i assembly â€” and then again consume two more cy mv duly to lhat section from whence i come and lbe in'eresl which i feel in the peace and harmony and general welfare of ihe state com pel rue to do so i fear before i take my feat some of my conclusions will be as unpalatable to many ot my western friends as my premi ses spemed agreeable i am asked by gentle men from the west why 1 do not ex'rnd the the provisions of my bill and consult the peo pie in regard to the rearrangement ofthe basis i will answer lirst because this latter ques tion has not been agitated except locally â€” we have no reason to ? n [>,.â– "- e that there is any thing like a general desire fur any such change as this throughout the state â€” in fact there are reasons which make me doubt whether this de sire is general even in the extreme west â€” there are several gentlemen here from lhat section who so far irom urging seem disposed to discountenance such a move what did we hear from lhe gentleman from burke mr..-\ve ry he informed us that whilst be advocated free suffrage you throughout his county on the slump he look ground against any change in the basis of representation and yet thai gen j sidered the ignorance of the people that it was j a mere trick to pop up a feeble cause ami sliil ; feebler candidal by dragging down otflhenrr i able constitution into the mire and filth of par ly the people were told lhal tree stittrage ! alone could extend no substantial power to lhe | people but if that is pressed earnestly it would i only prove an entering wedge to still greater j inroads on the constitution they were told .' lhat in a short time ihis basis of representation j would be assailed : and sectional sirile and dis cord again distract our councils our warn ; ings were mei wilh clamor crimination and ; insult what was prophecy then has become . history now yes sir lhe t rut li must be told ' it is the democratic parly of tbe eastern coun 1 ties who have brought this mischief upon us i by sustaining these popularity mongering ap peals to popular credulity they have sown i of the wind and are about to reap the whirl j wind thev now see lhe approaches of ihe i storm when it is too late they have heed ; lessly unlocked the doors ofthe cave of boreas atid are now seeking for shelter before the drivings ol the blast i do noi say ihis by way " we have had a continued round of gaities during the carnival season the city has been thronged with strangers a large portion of whom are americans the great fete of the winter season how ever was given on board the united states 1 steam frigate mississippi by the gallant captain ami ollicers of that vessel on wednesday last invitations were exten ded to the nubility and diplomatic corps as well as to the english french and russian naval officers in port and to all i american travellers at p m..the i boats of the squadron began to carry â– â– the company off to the ship tbe ball be i gan at s and was kept v.\t until the morn ing hours the company amounted to j nearly four hundred persons of the elite ; of the resident and stranger society of na ; pies the scene on shipboard was magnifi ; cent the spar deck and upper deck as i well as the poop were all appropriated to ' dancing and were completely covered in on tlie top and sides by a canopy compos ed of sails with an exposed lining of the . flags of all nations fanciful chandeliers composed ol arms and laurel wreaths shed a brilliant light on the company i while a bund ot the best performers dis i limitations imposed by the people them selves for under our republican system thev are submitted to the people for rati fore they go into operation tys tbe gentleman from burke , mr avery suppose the convention w\jen assembled disregard the limitation iid go on to make oiher alterations in .. constitution for says the gentleman â– men in the state contend that the tation will not be binding well sup ;; dors why it would he no con ivention at all except for the express pur pose lor which it was call d according lo lhe provisions of my bill ihe peoplein calling the convention would prescribe i an oath to be taken by the members that thev would not touch the constitution in any oiher particular until ihey took tin oath tbey would not be a convenlion ; if they proceeded to business \\ ithoul taking it their acts would bave no more binding operation than those of a public meeting of the citizens of raleigh li they tool the oath und then disregarded it they would be guilty of perjury : and in eith j crease no one would pay any sor of at j i tention to their doings and the machinery 1 of the si aie govt 1 :: ue nt would still move i on under the present stale of things â€” 1 such i doubt noi would be the decision ol is not wneiner it appears ansuru aim m consistent for the people to impose limi tations on their own power but tlie ques tion is can they lawfully do it if they could do it in 1835 under a constitution which had no provision for the calling a convention through the initiatory action of the legislature of course they can do so now under a constitution which ex pressly provides for the calling a conven tion by the general assembly if there be any truth in the logical truism that the major proposition includes the minor â€” two thirds ol the legislature having the power to call an unlimited convention wilhout the sanction ol the people ofi course two thirds can cail an limited con i vention with the sanction ofthe people but i am willing to take issue with i those who contend that it is absurd and anti-republican for the people to impose restrictions on their own action the very idea of a constitution presupposes restrictions upon those who are the depo ; sitories ot power â€” whether it be one man or a million know thyself was a cardinal maxim of an ancient philosopher of greece this knowledge of human frailty is as necessary to tbe statesman in providing for lhe welfare of a nation as lo the individual in regulating his pri vate life the more wisdom and virtue weeks ol lhe succeeding session â€” at such an expenditure of money and to the neglect ofthe iablic business â€” " merely lo strike three lines out of the coiisiitulion and insert five others !" if it is so small a matter why does the genlle man so pertinaciously insist on it ? if he thinks ii of so little consequence why does he not a bandon it when he sees his method of making lhe change so earnestly opposed ? anolher objection to adjusting this question by a convenlion in case lhe peopie desire it is the expense that will be incurred by it â€” now let us examine into this objection if the people decide i_.i favor of a convenlion at the polls i presume that a convention when as sembled would proceed at once to make lhe change for as this one question would be alone presented there could be no mistake in regard to the wishes of a majority ofthe people to effect this one amendment only and lhat too where discussion would be out ofthe question would noi require more than three or four days or a week at farthest my bill proposes lo pay the members of the convention only 1.50 per day and only one half the mileage allowed to members ol general assembly let any gen tleman make the caclculation and he will find ihat making this change by a convenlion if a change must be had will in the end be much less expensive than if done by legislative en acunenent 1 presume no one will deny that this session will have been prolonged at least ten days by the agitation of ihis subject and kindred questions necessarily growing out of it lleinan was elected and lhat too by a constit uency opposed to him in publics with this evidence belore me can i believe lhat in the west even this desire for a change iu the ba sis is so general as to leave it at all doubtful j whether ihere is a majority ofthe people of lhe j slate in favor of the change and let it be i recollected that i have contended throughout ; lhat as a legislature we should follow rather than attempt lo lead the public mind iu regaid i to amending the constitution i but i do not rest my objections here i am i opposed to submitting this question ol lhe basis j to the decision of the ballot box iu the second place because ihe arrangement of the basis of representation in our constitution does not rest on lhe same grounds and is not to be sus tained by the same arguments as those oilier general provisions of that instrument for lhe se curity of popular rights and republican princi ples let ii not be forgotten lhat my argu ment in favor ofdefering to anrl abiding by the wish ofthe majority had reference to the mod ification of those general questions involving populur liberty which are not local but so ex tensive wiih the limits of the slate affecting all sections classes and interests alike the basis of representation does not come within this ; category it is purely a question of compro mise of agreement of contract it may be said that all lbe oilier provisions ofthe consti tulion are matters of compromise and agree ment true bul then according to the theory of social compact the parlies lo such compro ot recrimination i do not wish to exette any partisan feeling on this subject i dare say the great majority of the democratic party of lhe east acted from honest and conscientious convictions i am only stating facts i now wish to appeal to the support ol my bill and el evate this question of constitution reform a bove the sinks and sewers of party although i am not responsible for the dangers and diffi culties which now threaten us yet in the ad justment of this question i will know no such thing as party ; but will unite with any and all who are disposed to settle il in the most sum mary convenient and economical method and in a manner mosi in accordance with our free republican system our consultations here will be productive of but little good so long as sectional discord and local jealousy shall bias our feelings and wrap our judgments lei lhe house decide as il may i shail feel lhal i have done my duty â€” and for consequences i shail not be responsible the world owes every man a living is a profound lie cunningly masked in the guise of truth : and if acted upon in the manner that reckless and desperate men define it would break through all those checks and guides by which the grains of honest industry are now protec ted and lay society open to incessant at tacks from all those who are too idle to coursed most bewitching music below decks a coffee room was arranged and the captain's cabin was surrendered to the indies for the mysteries of tbe toilette â€” at midnight supper was announced in the enclosed space forward the engine cap tain long entered the saloon first leading mrs morris the lady ofthe l 8 charge d'alt'aires the sumptuousness of this part of the entertainment the profusion of luxuries including wines of lhe most cost i ly kind excited tbe liveliest admiration | the dancing was renewed after supper and revived with rather increased fervor ! at 2 a m when i left the ship the ball , was in full life we pulled ashore in a | few minutes over a sea as smoothe as a ' lake under a bright moon and an atmos i pbere as solt as that of an american june the beauty ofthe american ladies was one of the most striking features of tbe ball â€” their delicacy of manner femi i nine grace and sweetness of expression contrasted favorably wilh european ladies this ball so perfectly successful in every respect has created a marked sensation in naples it reflects the highest honor up on the liberal hospitality of the captain and ollicers of the mississippi and will leave behind a most agreeable impression of american character the mississippi was much admired for the beautv of her i tie supreme court on tbe hrsl question , i woui 1 ai ise ch a case as s d : and such would no doubt be , â– ., opinion ol a grandjury before \\ bom nember of such a convention might , i bi presented for perjury 1 und rsl and : j very well why this intimation has been thrown out noi only here bul in a portion ol the public press of the stale â€” that a j limited convention if called will when ' assembled disregard the restrictions im ii it is to li ighten the friends of tree l suffrage in lhe easl to vt te again a lim . ited convent ii ai under t he idea that when â– the convention assembles it will disre \ i gard the limit and proceed to rearrange j the basis of representation such an ap : 1 peal to eastern members is a poor com ' pliment to their intelligence the same1 power and authority that woi call the ; j convention would impose the limitation â€” | ami it is absurd to say that if a majority ; ofthe people ol the state vote lor a con i ' v->t.tum limited to a specific purpose that n the calling the convention their act ',"] would he pro lanta valid but in affixing i tlie limitation il would be inoperative 1 lhat exist among a people the more are iheir institutions founded upon the dis j trust that their framers have of lhe wild impulses and unchecked excitements of lhe human mind popular governments are sometimes as tyrannical as tiiose swayed by a single despot in order to secure liberty the oppression ol the ma jorities must be provided against look at all our constitutions both state and federal â€” what are ihey but barriers a gainst the encreachments of majorities or those representing majorities the wise men who framed ihem knew well the infirmity of human nature â€” that even with the best intentions the people might be induced either through bad counsels or excited feelings to sacrifice their own dearesl rights and liberties â€” and thanks to our fathers in the purer aud earlier days ol the republic they resolved to save their posterity if possible from the folly ol injuring themselves and where is the man even in this carnival day of dema gogues thai has any respect for the opin ions of virtuous and good men that will ! sav these restrictions thus imposed upon â€” to say nothing ot ten days consumed ny n at ihe last session even if lhe measure is car ried by the requisite majority of three-fifths at the present session il must still go through lbe same ordeal ol protracted debate aud strenu ous opposition at the next session if it should fail ihen when il will require two thirds of both mouses the whole question must then be com menced de novo and it may be for years and years lo come lhat the general assembly will consume a week or ten days in the discussion ol this subject but suppose it is disposed ol at the next session â€” let any one make the es titnate and he will find that this method of legis lative amendment will in the end be much most expensive but behold the inconsistency of ihe advocates of this method of amending the coiisiitulion they first tell of the great im portance and inestimable value of the princi ples involved â€” and of what grievous wrong the people are laboring under ll ihis be so ought the expenditure of a lew thousands lo be al lowed lo postpone the enjoyment by the people of ihis important right yet these dear lov ers of lhe people tell us in the next breath that lhe people are so sordid and narrow minded that anxiously as they desire lhe change ihey are not willing to contribute the small amount lhat j must necessarily be expended in effecting it â€” nuse were llie people in their individual char acter's ; and as a majority established them the majority can change them at pleasure the same parlies that make a contract can of course modify lhe terms of th contract but the arrangement of lhe basis lo what may be called lhe social conlracl in this suite in the sense ofthe law writers in their characters as individuals wilhout reterence to sectional con sideralions it is in lhe nature of a compro mise between conflicting sectional interests â€” lt is in the nature of a contract for valuable consideration â€” lhe parties lo it were and still are lhe people of lhe eastern counties on the oiher part ; each parly yielded and each par ty gained certain equivalents in the adjustment of this compromise â€” and according to all set tled principles of law and equily it ought not | to be disturbed except by lhe consent of bolh i parlies i da not pretend to say that any j change of ihis compromise if effected accord ; itig tothe plan and requirements of the consti i tion would not be valid 1 admit that it would j be no mailer by what sectional violence op j posed â€” for the matter in which lhe constitution ! is to be amended is also a matter of cornpro i mise binding on every man in lhe stale my ' object is to show thai the basis ol representa i lion being a compromise between sections ei i . p ' . â– .,- n i â€¢ . .... _ work too proud to beg and too high spir ited â€” false again â€” to graduate their ex penses to the condition ol their circum stances strive honestly and thrive is the true maxim let any man work resolute ly tasking all his energies to attain per fection in the particular business or pro fession to which he may have devoted himself let him be just in bis dealings strictly correct in his personal deportment â€” courteous in his manners â€” and liberal ] within the compass of such means as he | can really call his own and the world will j certainly yield him the living he has faithfully earned one great element of success is however yet to be mentioned he must learn to say no ! it is the mosl difficult word in the english language to pronounce firmly and at the proper time i and place but still whoever would pur sue a successful course in life must learn , above all other things religion excepted when how where and in what manner it â€¢ is best to say no ! whenever he is tempted to exceed bis â€¢ i appropriate sphere of action â€” whenever u : i k ii ;...,._._..,, ,.;.;. ___â€¢ r i.i proportions and the masterly workman ship oi her engines and machinery they were built ten years since by merrick &â– towne ol philadelphia and although in service lor all that time have never suf lered any injury and are now in as good a condition as the day they were placed on board " the american flag has been flying all day from the king's vessels and the amer ican english and russian men oi war while the cannon have been thundering on all sides in honor of the birthday of washington if the fanatics at home could see with what respect and admira tion the american union is regarded abroad they would be able to appreciate the infamy which would descend upon 1 their names irom the success of their un i hallowed schemes commodore morgan crowned the eel " ebration with an elegant dinner in the .. evening ) look out ! â€” on the of january last ] mr c u watkins of stanly county mail ed a letter containing fifty dollars to bis \ say such an argumi nt is too absurd to i need reply for let it be recollected that my bill provides that every one voting k convention shall be understood as ex ii pressing ins opinion in favor ot the limi l tation ii the argument alluded to be it correct that a limited convention may dis \ regard its restrictions when assembled l_en it comes to this that the general as sembly mav in the plenitude of its wis dom a*i id iis love of the people make an amendment of the constitution limited to one object but that the people themselves can not do it in convenlion a pretty doctrine thi truly â€” more especially as comipg from those who mi grievously af fected vt the idea of the people being de prived of tlieir rights i we have but one precedent in the liis 1 toyof our stale in regard to amending institution allude to the conven tion in 1835 although our original con dilution which had never been altered before 1835 contained no provision as to i he maimer in which it was to be amend j ed jr i n gard to the calling a conven tion yet the legislature as ihe law mak ing pow.-r as the only authority that could leg a vote of the people in re popular action are absurd and anti re publican and where is the difference between imposing t hese restrict ions in the first instance and limiting tbe power of abolishing these restrictions here is the great beauty and iu this consists the har monious action of our anglo saxon insti tutions here is the secret of constitu tional government which the celtic and scandinavian races can not understand our institutions are based on the princi ple that the primary source of all power is in the people â€” but still as a great con servative element of liberty the people must protect themselves against them selves by imposing limitations on their own power â€” and furl her that these limi tations can not be altered or modified no matter with what unanimity desired or with what elamor demanded except in the manner pointed out and provided for by the organic law a change effected in any other manner whether bloodless or not is revolution this is something that prance after sixty years trial at re publican government has never yet been able to learn the gentleman from burke mr avery expresses some surprise at and rather attempt 1 do not know however whether there is so mui al low ibis nullifying law lo remain on lhe slut ute books wilh in was a con benting party to lhe infl tion of a fatal wound upon ihe national constilution no emancipation convention in kentucky â€” a telegraph despatch fr m frankfort daied i on fridl v last ?â– _.- ih tl lhe stale bmancipa ', lion convention of'kentucky called by cas*iua â– m clay and others is a dead failure and that it will noi be held the objeci of lhe conven lion was lo nominate emancipation candidates for governor and state officers and to organ ize an anti-slavery parly in the stale of ken tuck j freedom from pa n is of itself pleasure but j to know ibis one mu i have suffered